The exhibition centers on photographs Darrin took at Will Rogers State Beach after moving to Santa Monica Canyon as a teenager. According to the artist, what began as casual photographs of friends and local surfers evolved into a broader visual record.
Gallery 169 in Santa Monica Canyon will open a new photography exhibition this week featuring images of Southern California beach life from the 1960s, captured by longtime filmmaker and photographer Pat Darrin.
“The Beach in My Backyard (State Beach in the Sixties)” opens with an artist reception from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at Gallery 169, 169 W. Channel Road. The free event will include food and drinks, with complimentary valet parking available.
The exhibition centers on photographs Darrin took at Will Rogers State Beach after moving to Santa Monica Canyon as a teenager. According to the artist, what began as casual photographs of friends and local surfers evolved into a broader visual record of California beach culture during the 1960s.
The collection documents a mix of surfers, tourists, local residents, artists, writers and actors who frequented the beach during the era.
“When I moved to Santa Monica Canyon, Will Rogers State Beach was simply the backdrop of my adolescence, a place to hang out and photograph my friends,” Darrin said in an artist statement. “But as I watched the shoreline through my lens, that personal backyard transformed into a remarkable microcosm of California culture.”
Darrin has worked as a filmmaker, cinematographer and photographer for more than five decades. He entered the film industry in 1970 and has worked on documentaries, narrative films and music projects. His photography has appeared in publications including The Surfer’s Journal, Zero Break and Taschen’s Surfing.
In addition to his work behind the camera, Darrin has taught filmmaking internationally on behalf of the U.S. State Department and led photography workshops, including programs at the Palm Springs Photo Festival.
The exhibition is part of Darrin’s ongoing photo essay project documenting the community and culture of Santa Monica Canyon. Gallery 169, founded by Frank Langen in 2008, focuses on exhibitions by emerging and established artists, many with ties to Santa Monica Canyon.
